dive New Jersey dive dive NJ dive diving New Jersey diving diving NJ diving scuba New Jersey scuba scuba NJ scuba dive New York dive dive NY dive diving New York diving diving NY diving scuba New York scuba scuba NY scuba dive Long Island dive diving Long Island diving scuba Long Island scuba North Atlantic East Coast Northeast technical dive wreck diving shipwreck artificial reef dive chart dive boat directory dive shop directory dive store directory club directory dive gear dive equipment dive training dive planning Nitrox decompression underwater photography underwater video marine weather marine forecast ocean sea lake bay shore beach river inlet biology ecology aquarium fish fishes fishing flounder fluke sharks black sea bass striped bass striper blackfish tautog great white shark mako shark man eater shark dogfish largemouth bass lobster crab jellyfish starfish seafood artifacts brass porthole bottle ship freighter tanker steamer tugboat barge news events Wreck Valley Shipwreck Expo Dutch Springs quarry Shadow Divers U-869 U-Who Andrea Doria USS Algol Redbirds subway cars rebreather
The Coney Island was an old sludge hauler, sometimes called a "honey pumper". Her sole purpose was to carry treated sewage from New York City to the dumping grounds off Sandy Hook. Don't let this put you off - this is a great dive.
As of 2007, the wreck is falling apart nicely. At the stern, the top of the superstructure is at 90 ft. The main deck is lower at about 110 ft, and the sand in the washout around the hull is at 125 ft. Amidships, the large kingpost has fallen aft onto the deck, making hidey-holes for fish and lobsters.
If you wanted to, you could do a quick tour of the whole length of this wreck in one dive. Most of the superstructure and hull are easily penetrated through large openings, and viz this far offshore tends to be pretty good.
This wreck tends to be visited less often than the two stars of the Shark River Artificial Reef, the Algol and the Stolt. As a consequence, lobster hunting on the Coney Island can be very good: many small and medium sized keepers, if no really big ones. And there is no need to go to the sand for them, they are inside the hull and even on deck, at much shallower depths. Spearfishing can also be pretty good, with some nice sized 'togs.
The Coney Island was the first vessel sunk on the Shark River Reef.
Detail from side-scan mosaic
Looking up at the bridge
The Coney Island has been down so long that it is starting to look like a real shipwreck
This is a NYC sludge tanker
The New York DEP operates a disturbingly large fleet of these. This vessel is one of the successors to the Coney Island, bigger and newer.
see R.C. Mohawk, dump sites
I make no claim as to the accuracy, validity, or appropriateness of any information found in this website. I will not be responsible for the consequences of any action that is based upon information found here. Scuba diving is an adventure sport, and as always, you alone are responsible for your own safety and well being.
Copyright © 1996-2008 Rich Galiano
unless otherwise noted
